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Donna Hickman / Daily Journal Nick Brooks shows off the medals he earned in 28 years in the military as Dewayne Coleman, with the John J. Pershing Veterans Medical Center explains the Veterans Pride Campaign. Beginning with Veterans Day this year, veterans are encouraged to wear their medals in a demonstration of unity an patriotism.

Nick Brooks came to the Open House for the new VA Clinic in Farmington decked out in dozens of medals. They were awarded to him in 28 years he spent in the Navy. Beginning with Veterans Day Nov. 11, the Department of Veterans is encouraging all veterans to wear the medals awarded to them.

“It's a great thing and it's about time,” said Brooks. “If our nation was grateful enough to give them to us, we should be allowed to wear them.”

According to Dewayne Coleman, with the John J. Pershing VA Medical Center in Poplar Bluff, wearing the medals is part of an initiative to show veterans' pride.

“Veterans are encouraged them to wear their medals on Veterans Day, Memorial Day and the Fourth of July,” he said. “A lot of these veterans just put their medals away in a drawer somewhere. This campaign is about encouraging them to bring them out.”

To find out more, go to the Web site www.va.gov/veteranspride/ and read about the campaign called Veterans Pride.

Brooks said wearing his medals says when his country called, he answered. He served in Vietnam, Grenada, Panama, Lebanon and during the first Desert Storm between 1965 and 1993. Among the medals he has are the Bronze Star and the Purple Heart, which he was awarded three times.

For veterans who no longer wear their uniforms, but would like to display their medals, Brooks said any recruiting station could tell a veteran how to properly display them.

According to the Web site, requests for replacement medals, decorations and awards should be directed to the branch of the military in which the veteran served.

However, for Air Force (including Army Air Corps) and Army veterans, the National Personnel Records Center verifies awards and forwards requests and verification to appropriate services.

The VA believes sharing their medals will allow veterans to tell their stories to the entire nation and will help teach youth the true meaning of citizenship and freedom.